Different Eyes Same Story
by Marie S Zachary
Summary: Natalie and Leland discuss why Monk sees things other people don't.  I don't own Monk


It was a windy day in San Francisco when Leland and Natalie happened to be in the same dinner together. To saved space and because they were friends they decided to sit together. They talked about many topic and eventually the subject (not surprisingly) turned to Monk.

"I love Monk like a brother," Leland said, "But sometimes he really frustrates me. First off he can be so stubborn but he's always right! That's what's baffling to me. We BOTH see the same thing and yet he sees things I don't."

"I don't think he 'sees things you don't' but rather he sees the same thing in a different way," Natalie said, "Look do you remember several months ago when I was going through a rough time?"

Leland nodded. Of course he remembered that. Trudy had gone through a situation much like that years before and Adrian **immediately **jumped to the rescue.

"Sure I remember that," he said.

"I saw the situation in a completely different way then he saw it," Natalie said.

"I remember that. You were getting more and more annoyed by the second and he was totally clueless."

"Right," Natalie said, "I remember I made a comment like "How could he be so intelligent and at the same time so clueless."

Leland laughed.

"You finally told him straight out what you were thinking after like 13 hours or so," he said.

"Yes and what did he say? He said and I quote, 'oh sure... I never saw it that way before'," Natalie said, "HE NEVER SAW IT THAT WAY BEFORE? Um... that doesn't really make much sense now does it".

"It does if you look at it like a timeline," Leland said, "There were TWO Adrian Monk's. There was Monk BT and Monk AT and the Monk AT forgot all about himself AT."

"Is that some kind of code," Natalie asked.

"Kind of," Leland replied, "BT is before Trudy died and AT was after she died"

"Captain," Natalie said-

"It's Leland," Leland told her, "We are friends after all."

"Fine," Natalie said, "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure," Leland replied, "Go ahead"

"Well if the fake Trudy had turned out to be the real Trudy what would you have done?"

Leland paused for about ten seconds then ran a hand through his head before answering, "had a major headache"

Natalie laughed.

"I mean about the situation. Would you have let it go or would you have done what you had to do?"

"Natalie," Leland said, "In most circumstances that would not even be a question but both Monk and Trudy are dear friends of mine. Did you know he was going to take her name when they got married?"

"He was? Why," Natalie asked

"Trudy had a younger brother," Leland explained, "The only son of the Elison family and he passed on several months before the wedding. Monk wanted to allow their family name to continue on but he had a panic attack about changing his name. Change was hard for him but it wasn't so hard for her."

"You still haven't answered my question. What would you have done in that situation," Natalie asked gently.

Leland sighed again and once again ran his hand through his head.

"I don't know," he admitted, "but I think that I couldn't act as an officer and I think I would chose to act as a friend.

Natalie grinned.

"so you would let it go," she asked.

He nodded.

"They had been apart for years at that point. I couldn't do it to him. I just couldn't."

"You know there are advantages to having a friend who sees things you don't," Natalie said.

"Like," Leland asked curiously.

He knew there was but he really wasn't thinking straight today. He was a little down in the dumps.

"Well for instance it helps you to resolve cases two times quicker," Natalie said, "and other things too"

"Like what," Leland repeated.

"How about the fact that if anyone can find Jennifer Mr. Monk can"

"He's still working on that," Leland said.

Jennifer was Karen and Leland's firstborn and had been kidnapped nearly a year ago.

"The problem is his fears cripple him," Leland said

"come on. It's not that bad"

"He had to **clean up a crime scene **because it had dirt," Leland said

"Okay well that's... not good," Natalie admitted, "But I bet he could overcome his fear with the right motivation"

"Yeah too bad there isn't a magic wand that could suddenly make Trudy be alive again. That would be huge motivation for him"

"That would be the **ultimate **motivation for him," Natalie admitted


End file.
